Cup with Elastic Cover

ABSTRACT

A cup includes a cup body and an elastic cover. The elastic cover includes an elastic strip having a first end mounted on the cup body and a cover body mounted on a second end of the elastic strip and removably mounted on the top of the cup body. The cover body has a mounting plate abutting the top of the cup body. The mounting plate has an inner wall provided with a plurality of pressing bosses pressing the top of the cup body. Thus, the cup body is compressed inward, the top of the cup body is released from the pressing bosses, and the cover body is moved outwardly relative to the cup body by the elastic action of the elastic strip so that the cover body is detached from the top of the cup body automatically.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cup and, more particularly, to a cup with an elastic cover.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional cup comprises a cup body and a cover mounted on the top of the cup body to cover the top of the cup body. The cup body is made of paper or plastic material. The cover is made of plastic material. However, the cover is closely fit onto the top of the cup body to seal the cup body, so that the cover cannot be detached from the top of the cup body easily, thereby causing inconvenience to a user when wishing to remove the cover from the top of the cup body. In addition, the user has to apply a larger force to remove the cover from the top of the cup body, so that when the cover is detached from the top of the cup body, the cover may be broken due to an excessive force and cannot be reused.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cup, comprising a cup body and an elastic cover mounted on a top of the cup body to cover the top of the cup body. The elastic cover includes an elastic strip having a first end mounted on the top of the cup body and a cover body mounted on a second end of the elastic strip and removably mounted on the top of the cup body. The cover body of the elastic cover has a downward extending mounting plate abutting the top of the cup body. The mounting plate of the cover body has an inner wall provided with a plurality of pressing bosses pressing the top of the cup body to releasably lock the mounting plate of the cover body onto the top of the cup body.

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a cup with an elastic cover.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a cup, wherein the cover body of the elastic cover is moved outwardly by the elastic action of the elastic strip of the elastic cover to detach from the top of the cup body so that a user can use the cup body.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a cup, wherein when the cup body is compressed inward, the top of the cup body is released from the pressing bosses of the mounting plate, and the cover body of the elastic cover is moved outwardly relative to the cup body by the elastic action of the elastic strip of the elastic cover so that the cover body of the elastic cover is detached from the top of the cup body automatically, thereby facilitating the user opening the cover body of the elastic cover.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a cup, wherein the mounting ring of the elastic cover can be detached from the top of the cup body so that the elastic cover can be reused.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elastic cover of a cup in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the elastic cover of the cup as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the cup in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic top operational view of the cup as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a schematic top operational view of the cup as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a cup in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, a cup in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a cup body 3 and an elastic cover 1 mounted on a top of the cup body 3 to cover the top of the cup body 3.

The cup body 3 is made of a flexible material. Preferably, the cup body 3 is made of paper or plastic material.

The elastic cover 1 is detachably mounted on the cup body 3 and includes an elastic strip 2 having a first end 20 mounted on the top of the cup body 3 and a cover body 11 mounted on a second end 22 of the elastic strip 2 and removably mounted on the top of the cup body 3.

The cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1 is a circular hollow body and has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross-sectional profile. The cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1 is movable in concert with the second end 22 of the elastic strip 2 so that the cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1 is movable outwardly relative to the top of the cup body 3 as shown in FIG. 5 by an elastic action of the elastic strip 2 of the elastic cover 1. The cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1 has a downward extending mounting plate 10 abutting the top of the cup body 3. The mounting plate 10 of the cover body 11 has an inner wall provided with a plurality of pressing bosses 13 pressing the top of the cup body 3 to releasably lock the mounting plate 10 of the cover body 11 onto the top of the cup body 3. The mounting plate 10 of the cover body 11 has a peripheral wall provided with an elongate opening 12. The opening 12 of the mounting plate 10 faces the elastic strip 2 and is located between the pressing bosses 13 of the mounting plate 10. The pressing bosses 13 of the mounting plate 10 are arranged at two opposite sides of the elastic strip 2 and two opposite sides of the opening 12 of the mounting plate 10.

The elastic strip 2 of the elastic cover 1 is an elongate flat sheet plate and is disposed at an upright state. The elastic strip 2 of the elastic cover 1 is located between the pressing bosses 13 of the mounting plate 10.

The elastic cover 1 further includes a mounting ring 21 secured on the first end 20 of the elastic strip 2 and mounted on the top of the cup body 3 to attach the elastic strip 2 to the top of the cup body 3. The mounting ring 21 of the elastic cover 1 is detachably mounted on the top of the cup body 3.

In operation, referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 with reference to FIGS. 1-3, when the cup body 3 is compressed inward as shown in FIG. 4, the top of the cup body 3 is compressed inward relative to the mounting plate 10 of the cover body 11 and is released from the pressing bosses 13 of the mounting plate 10, so that the mounting plate 10 of the cover body 11 is unlocked from the top of the cup body 3, and the cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1 is moved outwardly relative to the top of the cup body 3 as shown in FIG. 5 by the elastic action of the elastic strip 2 of the elastic cover 1 to detach from the top of the cup body 3. At this time, when the cup body 3 is compressed inward as shown in FIG. 4, a deformed portion 30 of the top of the cup body 3 is movable to protrude outwardly from the opening 12 of the mounting plate 10 so as to allow an inward compression of the cup body 3.

Accordingly, the cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1 is moved outwardly by the elastic action of the elastic strip 2 of the elastic cover 1 to detach from the top of the cup body 3 so that a user can use the cup body 3. In addition, when the cup body 3 is compressed inward, the top of the cup body 3 is released from the pressing bosses 13 of the mounting plate 10, and the cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1 is moved outwardly relative to the cup body 3 by the elastic action of the elastic strip 2 of the elastic cover 1 so that the cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1 is detached from the top of the cup body 3 automatically, thereby facilitating the user opening the cover body 11 of the elastic cover 1. Further, the mounting ring 21 of the elastic cover 1 can be detached from the top of the cup body 3 so that the elastic cover 1 can be reused.

As shown in FIG. 6, the first end 20 of the elastic strip 2 is directly secured on the top of the cup body 3 so that the elastic strip 2 and the top of the cup body 3 are combined integrally.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A cup, comprising: a cup body; an elastic cover mounted on a top of the cup body to cover the top of the cup body, wherein the elastic cover includes: an elastic strip having a first end mounted on the top of the cup body; a cover body mounted on a second end of the elastic strip and removably mounted on the top of the cup body.
 2. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cover body of the elastic cover has a downward extending mounting plate abutting the top of the cup body.
 3. The cup of claim 2, wherein the mounting plate of the cover body has an inner wall provided with a plurality of pressing bosses pressing the top of the cup body to releasably lock the mounting plate of the cover body onto the top of the cup body.
 4. The cup of claim 3, wherein the mounting plate of the cover body has a peripheral wall provided with an elongate opening.
 5. The cup of claim 1, wherein the elastic cover 1 further includes: a mounting ring secured on the first end of the elastic strip and mounted on the top of the cup body to attach the elastic strip to the top of the cup body.
 6. The cup of claim 1, wherein the first end of the elastic strip is directly secured on the top of the cup body; the elastic strip and the top of the cup body are combined integrally.
 7. The cup of claim 4, wherein a deformed portion of the top of the cup body is movable to protrude outwardly from the opening of the mounting plate when the cup body is compressed inward so as to allow an inward compression of the cup body.
 8. The cup of claim 1, wherein the elastic cover is detachably mounted on the cup body.
 9. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cup body is made of a flexible material.
 10. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cover body of the elastic cover is a circular hollow body.
 11. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cover body of the elastic cover has a substantially inverted U-shaped cross-sectional profile.
 12. The cup of claim 1, wherein the cover body of the elastic cover is movable in concert with the second end of the elastic strip; the cover body of the elastic cover is movable outwardly relative to the top of the cup body by an elastic action of the elastic strip of the elastic cover.
 13. The cup of claim 4, wherein the opening of the mounting plate faces the elastic strip.
 14. The cup of claim 4, wherein the opening of the mounting plate is located between the pressing bosses of the mounting plate.
 15. The cup of claim 4, wherein the pressing bosses of the mounting plate are arranged at two opposite sides of the elastic strip.
 16. The cup of claim 4, wherein the pressing bosses of the mounting plate are arranged at two opposite sides of the opening of the mounting plate.
 17. The cup of claim 1, wherein the elastic strip of the elastic cover is an elongate flat sheet plate.
 18. The cup of claim 1, wherein the elastic strip of the elastic cover is disposed at an upright state.
 19. The cup of claim 1, wherein the elastic strip of the elastic cover is located between the pressing bosses of the mounting plate.
 20. The cup of claim 5, wherein the mounting ring of the elastic cover is detachably mounted on the top of the cup body. 